Hot 'N Cold
by Ophiuchus 13
Summary: She had always been there, watching as he proceeded to be popular. She was his lab partner, nothing more, so why was he suddenly so interested in her now? AU, Fairy Tail Academy. Slow NaLu
1. Chapter 1

Hey, Nikki here! I've decided to get a new NaLu story up since I had a good idea (even if it's a bit cliche) and I began writing while I was supposed to be sleeping. It's a wonder I was still able to make sense so early in the morning, but anyway, enjoy!

WHOO LINE BREAK

"Heartfilia, Lucy?"

"Here," She replied softly, biting her glossy lower lip as her teacher nodded and marked her as present. He continued to go down the list and named most of the people she had known since she was a little girl, like Levy Mcgarden or Erza Scarlet and Gray Fullbuster, even the great Natsu Dragneel himself. They had been a tight knit group, always playing together as kids. Their parents had been friends, which was what caused them to meet in the first place, and as they grew up, their group grew as well. The Strauss siblings moved into the neighborhood and joined the group, in addition to Gajeel Redfox and his cousin Wendy Marvell, who also moved in. They happened to be related to Natsu and with the arrival of Gajeel and Wendy, their group was complete.

They hung out often, always together until the late hours of the day and they always somehow managed to get put into the same classes as each other. This only caused more time to be spent together and you'd think they'd all be sick of one another, but they were as close as ever.

Their middle school years came and went in a blur, the only good thing to happen being the arrival of a new friend in Juvia Lockser. She seemed rather smitten with Gray and while he wouldn't admit it, they all thought he had a soft spot for her too.

Here they were now, in Fairy Tail Academy where they would spend the remainder of their high school years. They were currently sophomores, having already made it through freshman year without much difficulty. The only exception was Lucy. She struggled to keep herself together, what with the sudden passing of her father and the daily taunting she received by the other girls who claimed they were prettier and called her nasty things, like slut or bitch. It was all she could do to not fall apart each day, but she somehow managed to do it and the rest of the group? They were all fine, each still close with the rest of the group. The only one who seemed to be distanced was Natsu.

He was now the quarterback of the Academy's football team, the most sought after guy in the school, and an avid pyromaniac. Throughout all of this, however, he managed to stay friends with the group except for one blonde. Lucy and him had been best friends ever since they were little and once they reached high school, that fell apart. They were hot and cold, friends yet strangers and no one knew why. Perhaps it was because his girlfriend wasn't a big Lucy fan, even though they had once been friends.

Lisanna Strauss was Natsu's current girlfriend and the school's leading lady as far as popularity went, being both the head cheerleader and vice president of the sophomore class. It was only logical for them to be together, both due to their popularity status and the spark between the two. There was no denying the couple had chemistry the moment they met, even if Lucy tried to ignore it.

The blonde has had a major crush on the football star for years now, dreaming that one day he'll confess that she's the only girl for him and they'll go off to college together, graduate, and then get married and live happily ever after like in those fairy tales her mother used to read her before she passed away. Once they got into high school, however, that fairy tale shattered and Lucy turned to drinking to help cope with both her father's death and her horrible high school experiences.

The whole group was worried about the blonde, but only the girls would voice their opinions. The boys thought it would be best to leave it to the girls and thus, they did nothing. Lucy grew frustrated with them and closed herself off from the boys, choosing to confide in only the girls. They helped ease her off the alcohol, but whenever things got tough, you'd be able to smell the faint scent of alcohol on the beloved blonde.

Natsu had stopped talking to Lucy after finding out about her drinking problem, mostly due to his own experiences of his father's alcohol addiction. He refused to associate with someone who could drink without a care in the world and thus, lines were drawn and sides were chosen. The girls, with the exception of Lisanna, sided with Lucy and the boys, with the exception of Gray and Loki, sided with Natsu. This split the group in two and most of them didn't speak to one another unless they were either siblings or they were dating.

That same tension made this current class extremely awkward for Lucy Heartfilia as she squirmed around in her seat, trying to look anywhere but the pink haired male sitting beside her. Anyone in the room could tell that Natsu and Lucy were both uncomfortable and that Lisanna, sitting at the front of the room, was radiating a jealous aura.

"The person sitting beside you will be your lab partner for the entire year, so I suggest you get to know one another as your grade will depend on this person." Their entire class groaned and Lucy felt the overwhelming desire to scream.

"Better get this over with," She mumbled under her breath before turning on her stool to look at Natsu with a hard stare.

"What?" He was irritated, she could tell just by the way he spoke, but she ignored it.

"I'll do all the work and all you have to do is put your name on it, ok? No need for us to even talk to each other," She stated, causing Natsu's eyes to widen slightly. He hadn't been excepting that, not in the slightest.

"Why? I'm more than capable of doing my fair share of the work," He retorted as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Never said you weren't," Was her simple reply and with that, she turned to face the board. He stared at her and she tried to ignore it to the best of her ability, thanking her lucky stars when the bell rang. She quickly gathered her supplies, picked up her books, swung her purse over her shoulder, and scurried from the classroom without ever looking back.

BREAK

With a sigh, Lucy slowed to an easy walk once she felt she was safe from Natsu and that intense stare of his. It had caused her to tremble, something she was still doing much to her displeasure, and it made her incredibly nervous. It made her want to drink, which was not a good sign. The blonde opened her purse without a second thought and slipped her phone out before dialing a number and holding the phone up to her ear.

"Hello?" Was the cheerful reply from the other side.

"Levy-chan, you have to help me!" Lucy cried, moving to put her stuff away in her locker. It was currently free period, something Lucy rather enjoyed about high school. Once she was done, she closed her locker softly and pressed her back against the lockers, sitting with her phone still pressed to her ear.

"What's wrong, Lu-chan?" Levy's worried voice caused Lucy to bite her glossy lip just as she had done at the beginning of class, already forming a new habit.

"I just got out of science and guess who my partner is," Lucy replied.

"Oh no, not..." Was all Levy got to say as Lucy quickly cut her off.

"Yes, him! I'm screwed! The whole time he was staring at me with that intense stare of his and I wanted to just drink it all away," She admitted softly, hearing the slam of a locker and quick footsteps from the other side of the phone.

"Where are you, Lu-chan? I'm coming and I'm bringing reinforcements," Lucy felt herself smiling softly as she glanced at her surroundings. She was so lucky to have such amazing friends.

"I'm at my locker," She replied before hearing the line go dead. With another sign, the blonde closed her phone and placed it beside her as she moved to put her face in her hands. The sound of footsteps echoed down the surprisingly empty hallway and as she lifted her head to see if Levy was approaching, she instantly regretted her choice. There, closing in fast, was none other than Natsu Dragneel and boy did she begin to tremble.


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys, Nikki here with not one but two new chapters! They're to make up for my lack of updating because my laptop's charge broke and I had no internet for the past two days. They were typed and saved on my phone when I had no internet access and since my internet is back, here they are! Enjoy and thank you so much for such amazing reviews, I'm so glad you guys like the story~

BREAK

The blonde's heart pounded in her chest, wide chocolate brown eyes watching as Natsu Dragneel slid to a stop before her. He seemed breathless and conflicted, leaving Lucy looking extremely confused. What was he doing here? Wasn't he supposed to be mad at her?

"Hey," He breathed, trying to catch his breath.

"Hi," She replied short. She stole a quick glance around as disappointment set in. Levy wasn't here to save her from talking to him this time.

"I've been looking for you," Her heart skipped a beat and she let out a soft gasp.

"I've been here since the bell. Didn't look hard enough, did you Dragneel?" Lucy's tone was cold as she tried to keep herself under control. It was hard enough knowing that he could probably hear every quick breath she took due to those damn sensitive ears of his.

"We haven't talked in a while and I miss that," He ignored her retort and glanced away. Was that a blush creeping its way onto his cheeks?

"Be still my beating heart! Natsu Dragneel is blushing," She held her hands over her chest and he flashed a soft grin at her joke.

"It's not a rare thing, you know" She snorted at that before quickly covering her mouth.

"Whatever you say," Natsu moved to sit beside her on the floor, easily looking a bit like a giant compared to her small, china doll like figure.

"Why'd you rush out of science so fast?" He glanced her way and she gulped. Great, now he was going to want to spit in her face after hearing about her drinking urge. He hated her addiction, hated what it did to her, hated what it did to them. It was better than being addicted to some drug, but sometimes she thought he believe any other addiction was better than one to alcohol.

She felt just like his father whenever she drank, worthless and alone. Drinking brought all of her horrible thoughts back into play. They were constantly on her mind, from not being good enough for someone to being thought of as a slut just because of her body. It broke her spirit, drained her. She was no longer her mother's ray of sunshine, the girl who could be the happiest being alive even with so much going on. She was just a shell of her old self now, too cracked to fully function properly and that was why she had run out, not because some stupid addiction was surfacing again. It was because she couldn't handle another crack in her shell. One more crack and she could just... shatter.

"I... I can't, Natsu," She muttered softly, biting that glossy lip until a metallic taste was evident in her mouth. He watched her, those onyx eyes flickering with so much worry for the blonde before him. It hurt to see him like this, to see him practically torturing himself just by worrying about her...

"Why?" Was his only reply, soft and surprisingly gentle.

"You'll hate me," Somehow she managed to keep her voice in check long enough to respond.

"No I won't," His reply came instantly and she shook her head, moving to rest against his shoulder. She lifted her gaze from the floor to the set of lockers in front of them with a heavy sigh. If she told him, he'd get mad but if she didn't tell him, then she'd be even madder. She just couldn't win with this guy! With a gulp and a terrified expression, she began.

"I... I felt the need to d-drink again and I-I had to get out of there before it got stronger..." She was speaking in a soft voice, stuttering slightly. He tensed at the mention of the word drinking and she scrambled away instantly. He blinked at her, thinking she looked oddly similar to a girl trying to delay a strike to her body. He felt sick once that thought crossed his mind. The idea of Lucy getting hurt or struck down like he was by his father made his insides twist with worry and rage. She was so fragile that he was almost afraid to think that one blow could possibly kill her or damage her in the worst way possibly. He clenched his teeth at the thought, feeling as thought it was his fault she looked that way.

"I-I should g-go," She stammered and got to her feet, about to dash down the hallway when she felt a hot hand on her wrist. He turned her around and instantly leaned in, their lips meeting for a rough kiss. She was shocked beyond belief, but it just felt so right to be kissing him, her arms around his neck and his arms encircling her lower back. He pressed against her and she bit his lip slightly as he licked her lower lip. Their kiss was so passionate, so them. It was driving her insane and she could tell by the way he kissed her back that he felt the same way.

They broke apart with their longs ablaze, needing air immediately. Their eyes bore into each others and Lucy cracked a huge grin. He returned it easily as his hands went to run through her silky blonde hair.

"What was that for?" She questioned lightly. He shrugged and pressed his forehead to hers.

"You were leading and I couldn't let you leave me, not yet." His answer caused her to blush, smiling at his words. She opened her mouth to respond, but a loud noise caught their attention.

Standing a few feet away from the couple was Lisanna Strauss, current girlfriend of Natsu Dragneel. A gasp escaped her lips and her eyes filled with hot tears as she didn't bother to pick her dropped history book off the sahiny hardwood floor.

"You skank!" Lisanna screeched, causing Lucy to visibly flinch. "I knew you had feelings for him, but I never thought you would actually steal him right from under my nose! God, I feel like such an idiot for trusting you, Lucy. You're nothing more than a homewrecker, a slut that needs to take another girl's boyfriend just to feel wanted. "Lisanna quickly picked her history book up and closed in on Lucy, who had broken away from Natsu. The white haired cheerleader raised her hand and it connected with flesh, leaving Lucy with a large red hand mark across her cheek. She slapped her once more, Lucy or Natsu of all people not even bothering to do something to stop her. He merely watched, inching backwards with each cringe-worthy hit. He didn't like seeing Lucy hurt, but Lisanna was not someone to mess with when she was angry.

"Lisanna!" A voice barked from the end of the hallway and the sound of heels scuffing against the floors was suddenly echoing all around them. Levy had finally arrived with Erza and Mirajane in tow, Mira being the source of the voice. Lisanna froze mid-slap upon hearing her sister's voice and when she turned around, she tore off down the hallway with Mira and Natsu rushing after her.

Lucy had never felt so upset and so, she did what any logical girl would have done, broke down and sobbed.

She dropped to her knees, sobs wracking her body. She was broken, ashamed, and so alone. She had been abandoned by the one guy she liked the most and even though Levy and Erza were beside her to comfort the broken girl, she had never felt so alone.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys, I'm back with that second chapter I promised you! Hope you enjoy~ Sorry it's so short, the next one will be longer. I promise!

BREAK

He trailed behind Mirajane as they rushed to find Lisanna. He had to make things right, had to talk to his girlfriend about what had happened, not like she would understand or anything, but he just had to tell her so he could let her down the easy way.

"This is all your fault," Mira accused softly, her king voice now dripping with venom. He flinched at this, suddenly very afraid.

"How?" He knew she was right, how could she not be? He had kissed Lucy and Lisanna had seen it. He broke her heart and now her long haired sister would make him suffer for doing so.

"You know how, stop lying." Her voice raised slightly and he sighed, trying to focus on finding Lisanna instead of arguing with Mira.

Soft sobs echoed in his ears and he perked slightly before leading the way, following the sounds until they reached a seemingly empty classroom. After some looking, they found Lisanna curled up and sobbing beneath the teacher's desk. She sniffled at their arrival and tried to muster the best fake smile she could, but he just wasn't buying it, not when it barely even reached her eyes.

"Come on out, Lis, you're ok." Mira cooed to the heartbroken girl. She watched as the short haired girl shook her head and curled even tighter. Natsu knew it was because he was there, the guy who broke her heart was waiting for her to get out from underneath the desk to do what? Shatter her heart even more than he already did? No, he couldn't do that. He cared about her too much to do that, so he did the next best thing; lied about what happened.

"Lis, we gotta talk. What you saw wasn't what it looked like. She seduced me and I didn't know what was happening, but it was too late to tell her to stop," Lisanna glanced up at him with tear filled blue eyes that made his heart clench just looking at the. She looked so innocent, yet so hurt, that his lies would only hurt her more but he didn't think of hurting her, he only thought of his words hurting Lucy.

He knew what Lisanna and her friends would do to the blonde once Lisanna regained her spirit. It was inevitable, something Lucy wouldn't be able to avoid. She'd pay for hurting Lisanna, just as he would. Slowly but surely, the cheerleader would make him suffer and she'd get pleasure out of it. She was a closeted masochist and she knew it, which made anyone who made an enemy out of her rather unfortunate. She'd stop at nothing until they were broken, sobbing on the floor begging for her to stop torturing them and she'd fake a smile before launching into an even worse system of torture. It was her thing, her horrible thing that the whole school feared. Lucy feared her the most though. It was mostly due to her massive crush on the cheerleader's boyfriend, but also because Lisanna somehow thought the busty blonde was trying to steal her popularity while all Lucy wanted was to disappear. Lisanna would have none of that, though.

"I swear," Lisanna snarled, her upper lip curling in disgust. "I'll make sure that goddamn whore pays for what she's done." Mirajane flinched at her words and backed away silently, scurrying from the room to tell Lucy about Lisanna's threat. Natsu knew Mira loved her younger sister, but the older girl was incredibly loyal to her best friend.

"No need to go that far," He retorted as he helped the petite girl to her feet. She held his hand too tight and he knew it was for his comment. She did that whenever he said something she didn't want him to. It was annoying, something he hated with every fiber of his being.

"No, she deserves everything I'm about to throw her way!" Lisanna cried and tore out of the room before he could get another word in, the fire back in those bright blue eyes of hers. The pink haired male was then left alone in the classroom with a sinking feeling that Lisanna would show no mercy for the blonde and he suddenly felt the need to hurl. Guilt was beginning to eat away at him and if he didn't do something about it, Lucy would get injured and tortured at the hands of his girlfriend and it would be his fault. All because of that stupid lie...


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys, Nikki here! I managed to gather some muse and get the fourth chapter of Hot 'N Cold up for all of you~ I'm sorry I haven't updated in a little while, life has been a bit busy lately. On a different note, thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed, favorited, or even took the time to read this story. It truly means the world to me to know that you all like it! This chapter is dedicated to all of you great fans of this story c: Enjoy~!

Just a little note, the swearing might be a little intense for this chapter.

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"This month has been horrible," Lucy sighed, resting her chin on her folded arms. She was currently seated at her usual table, leaning against it as she thought back to last week.

She hadn't been able to get that kiss off her mind since it happened. It was all she thought about. Hell, she even dreamed about it once or twice! It was almost as if it was haunting her, reminding her that Natsu hadn't even glanced her way since it happened. He was much too busy with his whore of a girlfriend.

The bitter blonde had to bite her tongue as the short haired girl, the subject of the thoughts by association, sauntered by. The girl took the time to glance Lucy's way and her chocolate brown eyes didn't miss that wicked smirk that made its way to her glossy pink lips and she had to hurry up and glance away, quickly tasting the familiar metallic taste of blood fill her mouth.

"Fuck!" She yelped, releasing her tongue from the fierce hold her teeth had on it. Her friends frowned with worry while she could've sworn she heard Lisanna's cackle loud and clear from across the lunch room.

"What's the matter, sweetie?" Mirajane questioned as she scooted closer to the blonde.

"Bit my tongue, nothing major." She quickly wrote it off, an odd feeling washing over her. It was almost as if someone was watching her...

She glanced around the cafeteria with slightly wide eyes, her gaze falling on Lisanna's table. Queen bee was busy talking to Bixlow at a neighboring table, but her little groupies certainly weren't busy. They continued to watch her, those serious faces turning into sickly sweet smiles.

She felt her breath catch, followed by the overwhelming desire she had been trying to fight back these past three weeks.

"I've gotta g-go guys. See y-you later!" With that, Lucy Heartfilia gathered her belongings and scurried from the room, leaving her friends worried and confused at the table.

She found herself on the roof several moments later, out of breath and suddenly feeling extremely guilty. The drinking desire was back and instead of trying to fight it, she had pulled out the flask she kept in her locker for emergency reasons.

"I'm such an idiot," She mumbled to herself as she slid again the brick wall of the school building, unscrewing the cap and hesitating before taking a long swig from it. A growl then filled the air and she froze, wide chocolate eyes glancing up as she watched Natsu Dragneel approach. He didn't look too happy...

"Are you kidding me, Lucy?" She flinched at his tone. "You're really doing this drinking shit again?"

She nodded her head and took another swig just to prove it, trying her hardest to hold back another flinch at the sound of his teeth gritting together. "I'm not strong enough to stop," She glanced away and Natsu crouched in front of her, moving his hands to hold her face in an attempt to force her to look at him.

"Now you listen to me, Lucy. You're one of the strongest girls I've ever met, maybe even stronger than Erza or Mira!" She growled slightly, those kind chocolate brown eyes hardening at his statement.

"If I'm so goddamn strong then why can't I kick this drinking thing, huh? Tell me that, Natsu!" She glared and when he recoiled as if she had struck him, she kinda wished she had. He released her face and growled, earning a snarl from the heated blonde as a response.

"What, are you trying to get me to continue to talk to you? Just stop fishing from complements, Lucy! You know you're strong and you sure as hell know you're better than being some wasted skank!" He paled instantly as he gazed at her face once the words were out.

Instead of just sounding angry, she looked utterly furious. Her eyes were narrowed and her upper lip was pulled into a harsh scowl. With one swift movement, she managed to most of her booze all over the boy before her. A snicker came from her lips as he gasped at the alcohol.

"You might think I'm some wasted skank, but at least I'm not a stupid bastard who enjoys screwing his slutty bitch of a girlfriend!" She snarled and he didn't hesitate to slap her, eyes ablaze with fury.

"Don't you dare talk about Lisanna like that, you jealous bitch! You're nothing compared to her. You hear me? Nothing!" He spat. She gasped and held her cheek, tears beginning to roll down her cheeks before she could stop them.

"Figures that kiss meant nothing to you," She mumbled, scrambling to her feet as she clutched the nearly empty flask to her chest. She moved to the door and before she left, she turned to look at the soaked pink haired boy.

"Oh, and have fun with her. So what if she's been sleeping with Bixlow for the past three months?" And with that, she left him alone on the roof top, suddenly feeling very proud of herself.


	5. Chapter 5

Hey guys, it's Nikki! Sorry I haven't updated in a while, school has been a bit crazy since we first started and I was making sure I started off the year right. I hope to update more frequently now so be on the look-out for new updates and maybe even a new story or two!

On another note, I want to remind everyone that this is a **slow** NaLu story. The couple in the end will be Natsu and Lucy and will not be altered, but I do appreciate all the comments and suggestions so keep it up, you lovely readers c: I do not think I will be adding Sting to my story as a romantic interest for Lucy, mostly because I don't think they are very compatible relationship-wise, just my opinion. We'll see, though. I might add him in to be an antagonist once the Lisanna arc is finished...

Anyway, enjoy and don't forget to review! I love hearing what you guys think!

BREAK

Natsu made his way back to class, numbly going over what had just happened in his head. The information he had just received seemed so... shocking. Yet, he had a sinking feeling that he already knew about it, he just didn't want to believe it.

"Hey, Flame Brain!" A voice broke him out of his reverie and he glanced around, sighing when he spotted his best friend.

"Hey, Gray."

"What's wrong..?" The black haired male questioned, catching right on to the sullen sound of his friend's voice.

"What's going on between Lis and Bixlow?" He demanded, talking quietly in the slight crowded hallway. Gray froze slightly, his face paling at his words.

"What're you talking about? Lis loves you..." Natsu growled at this, slamming his fist into one of the lockers beside him. Everyone paused, lingering on their conversation.

"So it's true?!" He snarled, glancing around to see if any of the bystanders were Bixlow or Lisanna. Boy, were they in for it!

Speaking of the latter, here she was now. Gray's head turned at the sighting of white hair and he let out a little gasp, backing away to go find Juvia. By now, Natsu had noticed the approaching girl who was grinning from ear to ear. Latching herself onto his arm, she began to speak.

"Hey babe! I have the perfect idea of what date we can do next," She spoke with genuine happiness, excited to be going on a date with the pink haired boy. Of course, he would pay and she could give him an idea of a really expensive date, but she just didn't care, as long as he was accompanying her.

"Shove it," He growled, ripping his arm from her grip. She gasped and backed up slightly, her eyebrows furrowing at this.

"What the hell is your problem?" The demand reached his ears and his face twisted into an angry scowl, sharp canines showing as he leaned in slightly.

"My problem? My girlfriend's cheating on me, that's my problem!" Her eyes widened, her small body backing up more until she collided with a firm body. Turning her head slightly, she saw Bixlow steadying her. A grateful smile formed on her lips only to be replaced with a frown as she turned her attention back to her angry boyfriend.

"I'm not cheating on you, Natsu." She was lying through her teeth and he knew it. She was a damn good liar, but he knew her too well. Her tell was showing, too. He growled once more, stepping forward with his fists clenched at his sides. He was going to lose it soon if Lisanna kept lying.

"Don't lie to me, Lisanna. You're cheating on me with Bixlow. Just admit it!" His voice was just barely a scream, causing those around him to cringe slightly. They had seen him mad, but never this mad.

"I... Fine, I am." She sighed softly, her blue eyes full of regret. He knew that she was regretful for hurting him, but the cheating was the only way she could get a rush of excitement anymore. Maybe now she could find a new guy to cheat on, he was done.

"Why?" He questioned. "How could you do that to me without feeling sick about yourself?" His words were demanding and she frowned, her arms coming up to wrap around her body.

"I felt bad, but it just felt so good." She replied and the bystanders swore they heard Natsu's teeth grinding loud and clear. The pink haired male was about to take a step forward when a warm hand on his arm stopped him. Glancing back, he saw Lucy Heartfilia looking away.

"You'll get expelled. Calm down and come with me," She spoke softly, gently tugging on his arm. He glanced back at Lisanna and then back to the blonde, nodding his head as he allowed her to pull him away from the scene.

He followed the blonde through the halls, people parting to let them through as the final bell of the day rang. They parted ways at their lockers, Lucy planning on staying after school to study while Natsu traveled to the gym to blow off some steam.

BREAK

"Lu-chan!" The girl in question glanced up, chocolate eyes landing on source of the noise. Levy-chan. Lucy offered the blue-haired girl a bright smile and moved her stuff out of the seat beside her and onto the floor. Levy happily sat down and turned to face the blonde, her face mischievous.

"So... You and Natsu?" She questioned, prodding Lucy gently in the arm.

"What about us?" Lucy looked back to her work, knowing exactly what Levy was trying to get at.

"Calming him down and leading him away from Lisanna? The whole school was talking about it!"

Lucy made a face at that, placing her pen down to look at Levy.

"I was being a good friend is all. It was nothing, Levy-chan." She responded, brushing a stray piece of her blonde hair behind her ear. The look on Levy's face was anything but convinced, but she said nothing more of the matter and instead got out her books and got to studying. Lucy nearly sighed in relief, happy to not talk about Natsu anymore. She couldn't help but think of him, though. Was he still angry about earlier? Their fight was a dozy... Getting to her feet, she mumbled to Levy about going to use the bathroom before shuffling out the door. She had to talk to him, had to make sure he wasn't mad at her. It killed her when he was mad, especially at her...

The blonde approached the weight room's entrance and stopped herself to take a deep breath before opening one of the doors and slipping through, her chocolate eyes scanning the room upon entering. She spotted his spiky pink hair immediately, his shirtless body positioned in front of a punching bag. _'You don't have to talk to him now, Lucy. Just go back the way you came, go back to Levy-chan.'_ Her mind tried to reason with her, but she had already made her decision. Luckily, he was one of the two people in there, the other being a guy unknown to her with blonde hair. She moved closer to him, reaching out to tap his shoulder lightly. As he turned around, her breath caught in her throat and her heart fluttered.

"Lucy?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow at her sudden appearance. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she offered a small, shaky smile.

"Can I talk to you outside?" He nodded at her words and she turned, knowing he was following her as she moved out the door. Turning to face him, she glanced around before beginning.

"Listen, Natsu..." She started, pausing to think of what to say. "I... Are you mad? About earlier, I mean..." She noticed the shaky tone she had, not good. Lifting her gaze to meet his, she caught him shaking his head before he stepped closer.

"I was mad then, but not now." He offered a grin, brushing her hair back. "Besides, who could be mad at you with those brown eyes?" She blushed, smiling back at him.

"I'm glad, Natsu." Lucy breathed, moving in to hug him. He welcomed her embrace easily, his arms wrapped around her waist. The pink haired boy lifted her suddenly and she let out a surprised shriek, clinging to him as he spun her around. Both were laughing and panting by the time he finally put her down, arms still around each other. Lucy smiled and stepped back, slipping from his grip and leaving him slightly disappointed.

"I'll let you get back to working out, ok?" He nodded and they went their separate ways for the day, both with a permanent smile on their faces.

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I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I wanted to make it a good one to make it up to you faithful readers for not updating sooner, so I hope I did just that! Be on the lookout for more updates for both Teenage Dream and this story c:


	6. Chapter 6

Hey guys, Nikki here! I'm so sorry it's taken me such a long time to update this! To make up for it, I hope to deliver another story by the end of the week, so look out for that hopefully c: This one is a bit more focused on developing the plot more and also giving you a look into Lucy's past, as well as her issues with family. Anyway, enjoy this chapter!

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Lisanna settled down before her two friends, flashing them a playful grin. The two girls, Minerva and Flare, returned the grin and sipped at their coffees, waiting for the white haired girl to begin.

"Ladies," she started, pausing to make eye contact with both girls. "The time has come to start the early stages of Lucy Heartfilia's downfall!" Minerva raised her coffee at that, grinning wickedly. She always had held a strong disliking for the blonde beauty queen, as she liked to call her. They used to be friends, Lucy completing their small group of four, but Lucy developed a closer relationship with Levy, Erza, and Juvia and they were suddenly left in the dust with nothing but a bad memory of the beloved blonde.

"Hear, hear!" She cried gleefully, the redhead beside her snickering with joy.

"We're going to make her life in high school hell, do you hear me?" The girls before Lisanna nodded and she smirked, satisfied.

"How should we go about doing that?" Flare questioned, red eyes fixed on Lisanna's blue ones. The short haired girl's smirk turned deadly and Minerva cackled at the sight, her eyes gleaming dangerously.

"Simple, ruin her relationship with Natsu." Both girls nodded once again and she grinned. "Either that, or torture the poor dear. Both are preferable," The three girls giggled and got to their feet, pushing their metallic chairs back and sauntering off to continue shopping, coffees in hand.

BREAK

Lucy Heartfilia flopped onto Levy McGarden's soft bed after a long day at the library, the pair deciding to do a major study session before heading back to Levy's for a slumber party with the rest of the girls. Erza and Mirajane were just arriving with all the snacks and Cana was already settled on the floor, Wendy and Juvia sitting beside her.

"How's Gray, Juvia?" Cana asked, a sly smile plastered on her face. Lucy stifled a giggle and looked at Juvia's scarlet face as they awaited the blue haired girl's reply.

"Gray-sama is good," She replied, her blush not as bright as it was before. Lucy could tell she was calming herself down, having drank a lot of water before answering the question.

"How's Macao?" Juvia shot back, eyes narrowed on the brunette. She watched as Cana shrugged, grinning at her.

"How the hell should I know? We're just drinking buddies," She replied, her grin turning into a proud smirk at the blushing water fanatic before her. "Sorry to rain on your parade."

Wendy glanced at the both of them before sighing, turning to look at Lucy and Levy. The two were settled next to each other, whispering about something. Wendy, being an innocent eighth grader, scrambled up to sit by them instead of listening in on Cana's rather graphic stories of her experiences in bed.

"Lucy?" She asked, gaining the blonde's attention.

"Yes, Wendy?" Lucy raised an eyebrow at the girl.

"How are you and Natsu?" Her tone was innocent and the look on her face was merely curious, but Lucy was shocked. She didn't expect Natsu to say anything to his cousins!

"Uh... We're good, I guess..." She stammered, her cheeks heating up by the minute. They hadn't talked since yesterday and she knew that he needed space. His now ex girlfriend had been cheating on him for three months and he was just finding out now, causing a scene earlier in the week. It was obvious that he was going to take a bit of time before he decided if he wanted to pursue her or not.

"I'm glad," was all Wendy said, a soft murmur as she offered a kind smile to the blonde beside her. She nodded and ruffled the younger girl's hair, knowing just how much her cousin meant to her. They were a tight knit group, those three. They told each other everything, which wasn't too surprising unless you looked at just how closed off Gajeel was or how reserved Wendy was. Natsu was the spitfire out of the trio and naturally, he tied them together. Sure, they had their ups and their downs, but they were family and they definitely stuck together.

Lucy later recalled all the good times she had with her dad as the other girls were soundly sleeping. They were triggered by the thought of Natsu and his cousins and while there weren't many good ones, they happened to mean the world to her. Most had happened when she was little and her mother was still around, but a few had happened just a few years after Layla's passing. One, for instance, was when he had given her a romance novel because he had remembered the conversation she had once had with her mother. They had discussed the heroines in the stories and how she wished she could find love like they did, bright brown eyes sparkling with such a sincere hope.

"He really did pay attention," She mumbled to herself, reaching up with one hand to wipe the stray tears from her cheeks.

Her phone buzzed quietly beside her and she jumped, eyes wide at the sudden noise. Checking to make sure no one was awoken by the sound, she crept out onto the small balcony attached to Levy's room. She had a message, the blonde noted as she opened her phone to read it.

"Meet me in the park?" Lucy read the message aloud, smiling softly at who it was from. She threw on some shoes and a coat and silently slipped out of the house, shuffling down the sidewalk in the brisk October night in her sweats.

The walk to the park was peaceful, but cold, and as she made her way to the entrance, her lips formed a bright grin at the sight of familiar spiky hair.


	7. Chapter 7

Hey guys, Nikki here! I'm so sorry I haven't updated in about a month or two! Life's been hectic, to say the least. My grades were terrible last quarter and I got in a bit of trouble for it and then I had midterms which took up a bit of my time.

I've had this chapter typed up on my phone but just haven't found the time to update and I'm terribly sorry for making everyone wait so long for this chapter! Reviews give me more motivation to write more, if that helps? c; Anyway, enjoy and I'll hopefully be back to updating quicker!

HOT 'N COLD

"You wanted to meet me?" The blonde asked timidly, stepping up to the male before her. The moon was high in the dark blue sky, the stars twinkling softly. She noticed them on her way here and remembered think they were a rather romantic backdrop...

"Yeah, thanks for coming." His voice was husky, rough and it sent the lightest of shivers down her spine.

"No problem, Natsu." She eyed him, a million thoughts running through her head. What was the purpose of this impromptu meeting? Did he have something up his sleeve or did he just want to see her? Anything could happen with this guy. He always kept her on her toes.

"I..." He seemed at a loss for words and she giggled at this. It was cute, especially what with the face he made when thinking. "I remembered something." She blinked, curiosity rising in her body. It consumed her like a wild fire and she was almost aching to hear what he had remembered.

"Yeah?" Her tone was questioning, a dash of worry evident although she tried to mask it to the best of her ability. He could say anything and most of the things he was capable of saying weren't very good...

"You... You like the starts." Her chocolate brown eyes widened and a soft gasp was drawn from her lips. He... remembered her telling him that?! It had been ages since that day! They were only six when she had confessed her love of stars and space to him. The constellations never ceased to amaze her and she was constantly captivated by the vastness of the world up there. In space, there were so many possibilities and the galaxies that could exist were endless!

"So, I figured we could look at them together." His uncertain voice broke her train of thought and she blinked, looking over at him While she was preoccupied with the thoughts in her mind, he had made his way over to a blanket just big enough for the two of them. It was laid out beside a small telescope and excitement quickly took over.

"Natsu, I... I don't know what to say..." She started, causing him to pause and look at her with worried eyes. "This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me," The blonde finished. He released the breath he hadn't known he had been holding before offering a hand to her. The bright smile on her lips expressed what words seemed unable to do.

They laid together for a while, watching the stars twinkle above them. Lucy pointed out different constellations to him, never ceasing to shock him with just how much she knew about the stars. The entire time, their hands were intertwined.

"Why'd you do all this, Natsu?" She couldn't help but ask. It was the only question on her mind. Why? What was the meaning of doing this? Looking up at the pink haired male, she watched as he sighed and looked down at her, their eyes locking on one another.

"I wanted to make you smile, Lucy." He hadn't called her that in a while, she noted. Nodding, she snuggled closer and sighed softly. This was a good night and doubted that anything could ruin it.

"Looky here, two love birds!" She spoke too soon, from the look of things. Natsu darted up, his upper lip curling into the fiercest scowl she had ever seen him make. There, in all her self-proclaimed glory, stood Lisanna with the biggest smirk adorning her face.

"What do you want?" Got tired of rolling around in Bixlow's bed?" Natsu growled and Lucy couldn't help but flinch. She knew things had gone completely sour between them, but the way he regarded her was rather harsh and just... not him.

"I'm afraid so. I'd enjoy your bed again, Natsu! But, sadly, it's currently filled by the prostitute beside you," The white haired girl's gaze moved to Lucy and the smirk grew. "Turned out to be just like your mother, huh, Lucy?" The in question growled lowly. No one brought up her mother, ever.

"Shut up, you bitch." She snapped, getting to her feet. Natsu stepped back slightly and the girl beside him advanced on Lisanna. The two were quick to get chest to chest, Lisanna grinning like a Cheshire Cat as Lucy scowled.

"Bitch? Oh damn, does the little slut actually have some fight in her? Now this I gotta see!" Lucy turned her head to see Flare approaching, Minerva eagerly by her side. _'Great, these two,' _Lucy thought, turning her steely glare on the two girls.

"She won't have any left once we're done with her." They had cornered her now, the three surrounding her with little effort. Minerva had quickly reached out to pull at the blonde's hair, yanking her closer. "I'm just so jealous of how silky your hair is! Mind if I shave it off?" Lucy yelped and kicked out, managing to get the girl right in the shin. Her grip slackened and Lucy moved away, right into the arms of Flare. Her arms were pinned closely to her sides and it didn't take long for Lisanna to close the distance between her and Lucy. Taking advantage of the blonde's helpless state, she aimed a punch for Lucy's stomach. The wind was knocked out of her and she struggled to breathe, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. She screamed, desperately calling out for Natsu as she wiggled against Flare's vice grip.

"He ran, Lucy. He left you behind like a used whore. How does that feel? Knowing the guy you like abandoned you in your time of need?" Lisanna hissed. Lucy could clearly pick up the venom dripping from every word Lisanna managed to spew at her. The cheerleader reached out to slap her across the face and Minerva grinned. It wasn't even a minute after the stinging set in that she saw Minerva moving closer with her claw-like nails aiming right for her other cheek. The black haired girl missed her cheek and swiped the entire length of her face, creating some shallow cuts and one deep cut that ran right over her eye. She heard their piercing laughter and she felt hot tears fall from her glassy eyes, stinging the cuts they came into contact with.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" A voice rang out, male and obviously concerned. Flare gasped and quickly dropped Lucy, the girl scrambling to land on her feet with no success. She did, however, manage to twist one of her ankles. Another hiss of pain slipped from her lips and she crumpled onto her knees, becoming a sobbing heap as the three girls fled. The male, her savior, approached with hurried steps. His voice sounded so familiar...

"Lucy, are you ok?" Looking up with teary eyes, she saw the concerned face of Loki. He quickly scooped her up into his arms and cradled her against his chest. "What the hell were you doing out by yourself?" She trembled in his arms, tears falling down her face with ease.

"I-I was wi-wish N-Natsu and h-he didn't s-s-stop them!" She wailed, curling parts of his shirt up into her first as she sobbed on his chest. A low growl rumbled in his chest and he held her closer.

"I'll kill him for abandoning you, Lucy." She nodded gently, whimpering. "Now let's get you to the hospital. I'll call Levy when we get there to have her pick you up once you've been checked out," Loki informed her before hurrying off in the direction of the hospital. What he had just witnessed replayed over and over in his head and a single thought was on his mind... Why the hell hadn't Natsu done anything?


End file.
